Ugandan president hints he would sign anti-LGBTQ+ bill

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has called on African leaders to oppose "the promotion of homosexuality". This is being taken to be a hint that he will sign a controversial anti-LGBTQ+ bill passed by the country's parliament last month. Speaking on Sunday (April 2), Museveni said that homosexuality was "a big threat and danger to the procreation of human race (sic)"

The bill reportedly imposes death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality" while providing for life imprisonment for “recruitment, promotion and funding” of same-sex “activities”

The bill has attracted international criticism with the United Nation and the United States urging Uganda to take back the bill.

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“Africa should provide the lead to save the world from this degeneration and decadence, which is really very dangerous for humanity. If people of opposite sex [sic] stop appreciating one another then how will the human race be propagated?” said Museveni on Sunday as quoted by The Guardian.

The bill that was passed last month makes it a crime to identify as LGBTQ. It also hands authorities broad powers to target gay Ugandans

More than 30 African countries, including Uganda, already ban same-sex relations. The new law appears to be the first to outlaw merely identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ), according to rights group Human Rights Watch.

Supporters of the new law say it is needed to punish a broader array of LGBTQ activities, which they say threaten traditional values in the conservative and religious East African nation.

In addition to same-sex intercourse, the law bans promoting and abetting homosexuality as well as conspiracy to engage in homosexuality.

Violations under the law draw severe penalties, including death for so-called aggravated homosexuality and life in prison for gay sex. Aggravated homosexuality involves gay sex with people under the age of 18 or when the perpetrator is HIV positive, among other categories, according to the law.

(With inputs from agencies)

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